Treats and Human Foods: What's Safe and What to Avoid

Treats in proportion

Treats are useful for training, bonding and simply making your pet's day a little better. The catch is that they add calories without necessarily adding balanced nutrition.

A common guideline is that treats and extras should make up no more than around 10% of your pet's daily calories. The rest should come from a complete, balanced food. For a small dog or a cat, that is not much — a few small pieces rather than a handful.

Practical ways to keep portions sensible:

• Break treats into small pieces. Your pet cares more about how often they get a reward than how big it is.
• Use part of the daily food allowance as training rewards.
• Count chews and dental sticks — some contain a surprising number of calories.
• Agree a household rule so several people aren't each giving "just one".
• If you give more treats on a particular day, reduce the main meal slightly.

If your pet is overweight, see healthy weight and body condition, and for working out daily calories in dogs, how much to feed your dog.

Healthier treat options

Many plain foods make good occasional treats. Offer them in small amounts, introduce anything new gradually, and stop if your pet has a stomach upset.

For dogs

• Small pieces of cooked, plain lean meat such as chicken or turkey, with no skin, bones or seasoning
• Carrot sticks, raw or lightly cooked
• Green beans, plain
• Cucumber slices
• Apple pieces, with the core and seeds removed
• Blueberries
• A small amount of plain cooked pumpkin
• Ice cubes on a warm day, for dogs that enjoy them

For cats

• Small pieces of plain cooked chicken, turkey or white fish, with no bones or seasoning
• Commercial cat treats, in the portion the packet suggests
• A little of their usual wet food as a reward

Cats are obligate carnivores and generally show little interest in fruit and vegetables. Many adult cats also don't digest milk well, so it is best avoided as a treat.

Whatever you offer, keep it plain. Seasonings, sauces, gravy, butter and oil can upset the stomach, and some contain ingredients that are toxic.

Foods to avoid and why

The list below covers some of the most common hazards. It isn't complete, and how badly a pet is affected can depend on the amount eaten, their size and individual sensitivity. If in doubt, don't share it. You can check more foods on our toxic foods page.

Food	Why it's a problem
Chocolate	Contains theobromine and caffeine, which can affect the heart and nervous system. Dark and cooking chocolate are the most dangerous.
Grapes, raisins, sultanas and currants	Can cause kidney damage in dogs, and even small amounts may be harmful. The reason isn't fully understood. Keep them away from cats too.
Xylitol (birch sugar)	A sweetener found in some sugar-free gum, sweets, baked goods, toothpaste and some peanut butters. In dogs it can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar and liver damage.
Onions, garlic, leeks and chives	Can damage red blood cells, whether raw, cooked or powdered. Cats are especially sensitive. Watch for them in gravy, stock and ready meals.
Macadamia nuts	Can cause weakness, wobbliness, tremors and high temperature in dogs.
Alcohol	Even small amounts can be dangerous for pets. Includes drinks, and raw bread dough, which can also produce alcohol as it ferments.
Caffeine	Found in coffee, tea, energy drinks and some medicines. Can cause restlessness, a racing heart and tremors.
Cooked bones	Become brittle and can splinter, causing choking, mouth injuries or damage to the gut.

Other foods often advised against include fatty leftovers, which can trigger stomach upsets and are linked with pancreatitis, and very salty snacks. Corn on the cob is another risk because the cob can cause a blockage.

Lilies: a serious hazard for cats

Lilies are not a food, but they belong on any list of household dangers for cats. True lilies and day lilies can cause severe kidney damage in cats. All parts of the plant are a risk, including the pollen and the water in the vase. A cat can be poisoned simply by brushing against the flowers and then grooming pollen from their fur.

The safest approach is not to have lilies in a home with cats at all, including in bouquets. Ask friends and family not to send them. If you think your cat has had any contact with a lily, treat it as an emergency and contact your vet immediately, even if they seem well.

What to do if your pet eats something toxic

Quick action makes a real difference. If you know or suspect your pet has eaten something harmful:

1. Stay calm and move your pet away from any remaining food or substance.
2. Contact your vet or a pet poison helpline immediately. Don't wait for symptoms — with some toxins, such as grapes, xylitol or lilies, signs may not appear until damage has begun.
3. Don't make your pet sick unless you are told to. Inducing vomiting at home can be harmful, and it isn't the right thing for every substance. Home remedies such as salt water are dangerous.
4. Have the details ready. What was eaten, roughly how much, when it happened, and your pet's approximate weight. Keep the packaging if you can.
5. Follow the advice you're given. If you're asked to come in, go straight away and take the packaging with you.

Outside normal hours, contact your local out-of-hours emergency vet. It is worth saving their number in your phone now, so you aren't searching for it in a crisis.

Preventing accidents

• Store chocolate, sweets, nuts and dried fruit in closed cupboards, not on low tables or in handbags.
• Keep bins secured or behind closed doors.
• Check labels for xylitol on anything sugar-free.
• Remind guests and children not to share food.
• Be extra careful at festive times, when there is more rich food and chocolate around.

When to talk to your vet

Contact your vet straight away if your pet:

• Has eaten, or may have eaten, any of the foods listed above
• Has had any contact with lilies, in the case of cats
• Is vomiting, has diarrhoea, seems wobbly, weak, restless or unusually quiet after eating something unusual
• Has swallowed a bone, corn cob or other object and is retching, drooling or off their food

Even if your pet seems fine, it is always better to call and check. For other changes worth acting on, see signs your pet needs a vet.